Railway-switch



3 Sheets-Sh eat 1.

LR G mm mm M am I Rm (No Model.)

Patented July 9, 1895.

(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. E. HAMILL. RAILWAY SWITCH.

Patented July 9, 1895.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

H. E. HAMILL.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

Patented July 9, 1895.

i Z A7 llNiTEi) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAl LWAY- SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,253, dated July 9,1895.

Application filed March 21, 1895.

the following is a specification- The object of my invention is toprovide improved means for operating railway-track switches. This I doby mounting the free ends of the switch-rails on plates tranverselyslotted to receive chairs, to which the rails are secured andwhich'slide back and forth when positively operated in the guide-slotsof the plates. The chairs are provided with devices which lock them tothe plates and prevent movement thereof, except in the line of theguide-slots. At the opposite end of the switch I provide a pivotedfrog-rail adapted to be shifted to align with either the main track orsiding. This rail-section is pivoted to a plate provided withtransversely-arranged guideslots to receive chairs secured to thepivotedrail. A cable operated by mechanism at a switch-stand is connected withthe free ends of the switch-rails and also with the pivoted rail, and bythis cable the switch may be set for either the main track or thesiding.

.The organization of the mechanism employed and the details ofconstruction are hereinafter fully described, and are shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 is a diagram showing in plana railway-track switch constructed and organized in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a View, on an enlarged scale and in side elevation,of the pivoted frog-rail, showing how it is connected with itssupporting-plate and how the plate ismounted on the crossties. Fig. 3 isa detail view, on an enlarged scale,'showing a side elevation of one ofthe split rails and the manner in which it is con.- nected with itssupporting-plate. Figs. 4E to 11, inclusive, show cross-sections on thecorrespondingly-numbered dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. Figs. 4. to 11,inclusive, show detail views of the chairs employed for connecting therails'to their supporting plates and also the devices employed forconnecting the chairs to the target-operating rod, the operating-cable,and the tie-rods. Fig. 12 is aview,

on an enlarged scale, of a modified way of Serial No. 542,678- (Nomodel.)

connecting the operating-cable with the free ends of the switch-rails.Figs. 13 and 14. are detail views of theguide-pulleys and theirmountings. ing weather plates or shields connected with a chair andextending over the guide-slot. Fig. 16 is a detail view showing a planof one of the shields. Fig. 17 is a view, partly in section and partlyin elevatiom of the switchstand having the cable-operating mechanism.Fig. 18 is a detail view in plan of the switchstand, the operating-shaftbeing shown in section. Fig. 19 is a similar view with the top platesbroken away to show thelocking-wheel. Figs. 20 and 21 show,respectively, the front and back plates of the switch-stand. Fig. 22 isa detail view in section showing the means of connecting the top plateof the switch-stand with aguide-hub for the operating-shaft. Fig. 23 isanother View of the same, showing the latch carried by the hub andengaging with the locking-wheel.

A indicates the rails of the main track, and B the rails of the siding.One of the rails A of the main track is split at a, and a correspondingrail of the siding is split at I). These rails are spring-rails and maybe shifted laterally so as to connect the main track at the end marked Xwith either the part Y of .the main track or the part Z of the siding.

.plate E. .It has also, upwardly-extending wings d, which project overthe base of the rail and fit it snugly. The portion d and the wings dare approximately of the same width as the slot 00. Figs. 9 and 10 showsubstan- .tially the same construction so far as the parts 01 and d areconcerned. Fig. 11. shows Fig.15is a view in section show- These chairsmay be of; any suita similar construction; but the wings d are prolongedupwardly and are suitably shaped ICC with laterally-projecting wings dthat extend beyond the edges of the slots at and prevent the chair fromrising too high. This construction is clearly shown in the bottom planviews, Figs. 9" and 10. It is also shown in Figs 4 and 5. By thisarrangement I am enabled to insert the chairs from below the plates andextend the wings d upwardly through the slots for attachment to therails.

The chairs, as will be observed by reference to Fig. 1, are locatedbetween the cross ties, On the underside of the chair D (shown in Fig.9) is formed a button consisting of a shank d and an enlarged head (1 Tothis button is connected a tie-rod e, the construction of which is moreclearly shown in Fig. 11. It has an enlarged head e at each end with anelongated slot e which when turned in one direction can pass over thehead (1 but when given a quarter turn is spanned by the head, asindicated. The buttons in Figs. 9, 9, and 11 are of precisely the sameconstruction, and chairs so constructed are used for supporting the twosplit rails and are connected by a suitable number of tie-rods. Thechair shown in Figs. 10 and 10 is similar to that above described,except that in place of the button I employ a lug d secured to thebottom of the chair and extending downwardly therefrom. This lugisprovided with a screw-threaded socket d to receive a split taper-nut (1which is secured by a nut 11* to the cable F. The plates E E may be madeof iron, steel, or other suitable material and are formed with the slotsat, above described, and with holes to receive spikes which secure themto cross'ties or sleepers E The slots are located between thecross-ties, as above stated, and may be slightly curved to permit thechairs to move freely when the rails are shifted.

The pivoted frog-rail G at the opposite end of the switch is mounted ona plate H, secured by spikes to the crossties G The rail G is centrallypivoted at g to the plate H above a crosstie I, which may be recessed,as shown in Fig. 2, to accommodate the pivot-fastenings. The details ofthe pivot are shown in Figs. 7 and 7. As there shown, a chair g isfirmly secured to the rail and is provided on its under side with ashank 9 that extends through an opening in the plate H. A bolt g extendstransversely through the lower end of the shank, and a washer g isinterposed between the bolt and the plate H. The bottom of the chair,(shown in Fi 7,) it will be observed, lies on the top of the plate H,thus raising the rail G above the plate and permitting of easy pivotalmovement.

The plate II is provided with a series of slots h, in which are fittedchairs for supporting the frog-rail at various points. The slots arelocated between the cross-ties I and G and the chairs are constructed,as shown in Figs. 4 to 8 and Figs. 4. to 8, in a somewhat similar mannerto that shown in Fig. 9-that is, they have portions d below the rail,wings extending up through the slots h and over the bases of the rails,and flanges or wings d below the slots. Fig. 8 shows a chair adapted toconnect with a rod 7', that operates a signal-target J. The bottom d isprovided with a downwardly-projecting button j, having an enlarged headand adapted to interlock with a slot j in the enlarged end of the rodj.The upright shattj of the target J is provided with a crank j, by meansof which the reciprocation of the rail will turn the target.

The chair shown in Fig. 5 is like the others, except that on its underface it is provided with grooves i, to accommodate the mainoperating'cable K, and also with grooves t" on its upper side toaccommodate the turn in this cable. Fastening devices 2' may be employedon opposite sides of the web of the rail through a perforation in whichthe loop of the cable passes.

The opposite ends of the pivoted rail Gare beveled, as shown in Fig. 1,in order to connect with the beveled ends of the rails of the main trackand siding, with which the pivoted rail comes in contact. These railsare beveled or inclined in one direction only, as shown, while the endsof the frog-rail are beveled in opposite directions to properly connectwith the rails, and also to prevent the wheels of the train fromcatching as they pass.

In order to prevent dirt, ice, the, from entering and filling the slots,1 may employ a guard plate or shield L. This may be of the constructionshown in Figs. 15 and 16, and is secured to the chairs that support theshifting rail. As shown in Fig. 16, the plate L is provided with slotsZ, shaped to fit over the tops ofthe chairs, to permit the plate to flexto some extent thereon. The plates extend over the slots h and areadapted to move along over the surface of the plate I-I. Sim ilarshields may be used for covering the slots in the plates E and E.

In order to operate the switch, I employ a cable K. This is connectedtoaswitch-stand M and extends around pulleys m m at one end of theswitch and pulleys m m at the opposite end of the switch. The pulleysare preferably mounted as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the cross-ties Nbeing recessed, as shown, and provided with top and bottomplatesnn,between which the plates are mounted. The cable is connected tothe end of the pivoted rail in the manner shown in Fig. 5. As thereshown, the cable K extends under the chair, thence over the chair, andthrough the web of the rail, and down under the chair again. At theopposite end of the switch the cable is connected by the short lengthsof cable F to the split rails, preferably in the manner shown in Fig. 10and as before described; but the connection may be such as indicated inFig. 12, where, instead of merely passing the cablesF through theperforations d and securing their ends by taper-nuts, I continue thecable around over the chairs and through the webs of the rails. Loops fare employed to connect the upper andlower branches of the cable to holdthem parallel and close together. Either of these constructions issuitable; but other arrangements 'may be employed for connecting themain cable with the split rails.

The details of the switch-stand are shown in Figs. 17 to 23, inclusive.As there shown, an operating-wheel O is secured to a vertical shaft 0,provided with an enlargement 0', about which the cable K is wound. Thelower end of the shaft is mounted in a bottom plate P, and the shaftalso extends through a top 0'. The top plate rests on beams P arranged asuitabledistance apart to accommodate the winding mechanism. The chamberQ, in which the winding mechanism is inclosed,'is closed at its rear endby the plate Q (shown in Fig. 21) and at its front end by the plate Q(shown in Fig. 20,) and which is provided with slots q, through whichthe two branches of the cable extend, as shown in Fig. 19. Just belowthe plate P on the shaft 0 is secured a locking-wheel R, provided with aperipheral series of teeth 1". Above the plate P is secured to the shafta hub S, that is provided with lugs 3, extending through slots 8' in theplate P. The lugs sare headed so that they cannot rise through theslots, and the plate P is made in two sections, being divided in linewith the slots 8, as shown in Fig. 18, so that when the cover is securedit may be so secured as to firmly hold the hub S in place. A latch T isemployed to lock the wheelRto the top plate P and hub S; This latch isformed with a downwardly-projecting lug 2?, extending through a slot tin the plate P and adapted to engage with the teeth of the wheel-R.

Above the plate P the latch is formed with laterally-extending arms F,that extend over the slot 25 and are adapted toslide back and forth overthe plate to engage the lug t with the wheel or to disengage ittherefrom. A flange on the lower end of the lug prevents it from risingout of the slot. The hub Sis formed with arms 8 between which the latchis adapted to pass when it is moved toward the wheel R. These arms, andalso the inner end of the latch, are perforated and adapted to receive abolt or pin 25 which is headed at t and perforated at t to receive anordinary padlockt. The bolt is insertedwhen the latch is interlockedwith the wheel. When the bolt'is removed the latch may he slid awayplate P over the casing of the enlargement from the wheel to unlock it,and the wheel 0 5 5 in Fig. l of the drawings, the main track is closed,the siding being opened or disconnected from the main track. If now themechanism at the switch-stand is operated to draw the cable toward theright around the pulley m ,'the pivoted rail G will be shifted from theposition shown in Fig. 1 to the opposite position to connect with theother rails, and the split rails will be correspondingly shifted, therail next the switch-stand, as viewed in Fig. 1, being brought close tothe adjacent rail of the main track, while the split rail on theopposite side will be withdrawn from the corresponding rail of the maintrack.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a rail, a slotted plate onwhich it is mounted, a chair having wings extending over the base of therail, a body portion uniting the flanges, wings projecting laterallyfrom the body portion below the slot, and a lug or projection extendingdownwardly from the body portion, for the purpose specifled.

2. The combination of the pivoted rail, the split rails, plates on whichthey are mounted, guide slots in the plates below the rails, chairshaving wings embracing the bases of the rails on opposite sides, bodyportions uniting the wings and extending through the slots of theplates, and rods-connected to the body portions of thechairs andconnecting chairs on opposite rails.

3. The combination of the pivoted rail, the shifting switch rails, thecable for operating them and the switch-stand consisting of an uprightshaft around the lower end of which the cable is wound, a locking wheelsecured to said'shaft and provided with a series of peripheral teeth, alocking block or latch secured by a bolt to the frame of theswitchstand, and a locking device extending through the bolt for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBERT E. HAMILL.

